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Randall Tops for USA to Close Season

World Cup sprint champion Kikkan Randall skied into 13th Sunday in the 10k freestyle pursuit, closing the three-day Falun mini-tour and putting a stamp on another successful World Cup season. (Getty Images/AFP/Jonathan Nackstrand)

FALUN, Sweden (March 16) – World Cup sprint champion Kikkan Randall (Anchorage) skied into 13th Sunday in the 10k freestyle pursuit, closing the three-day Falun mini-tour and putting a stamp on another successful World Cup season. In addition to her third-straight World Cup sprint title, Randall finished sixth in the overall standings behind overall champion Therese Johaug of Norway, who also won Sunday’s pursuit. Noah Hoffman (Aspen, CO) topped for the USA in the men’s 15k pursuit, where Norway’s Martin Johnsrud Sundby skied away with the victory as well as both the distance and overall World Cup titles.

HIGHLIGHTS

World Cup sprint champion Kikkan Randall (Anchorage) skied into 13th Sunday in the 10k freestyle pursuit, closing the three-day Falun mini-tour and putting a stamp on another successful World Cup season.

In addition to winning her third-straight World Cup sprint title last week, Randall took sixth in the overall standings.

Liz Stephen (East Montpelier, VT) also put forth a strong effort in the Falun mini-tour, where her 17th-place finish helped her reach the top 15 in the overall distance standings.

Rookie Sophie Caldwell (Peru, VT) climbed to an impressive eighth in the sprint standings during her first year on the U.S. Cross Country Team, which put her into 23rd overall.

Overall World Cup champion Therese Johaug of Norway took the victory during Sunday’s pursuit and was joined on the podium by teammates Marit Bjoergen and Heidi Weng. Johaug, Bjoergen and Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen also managed a Norwegian podium sweep in World Cup overall standings.

Noah Hoffman (Aspen, CO) led the USA in the men’s 15k pursuit Sunday, as well as pulled out the best U.S. result in the distance standings with 28th.

Norway’s Martin Johnsrud Sundby skied away with the 15k victory as well as both the distance and overall World Cup titles. Russia’s Alexander Legkov ended his season ranked second overall after a third-place finish in Falun, while Canadian Alex Harvey took second in Falun and third in the overall standings.

QUOTESKikkan RandallI really feel like I left it out there today. I had a chance to catch up to 10th place but unfortunately face-planted with 500m to go. I definitely skied a hard race.

It feels really good to wrap up the World Cup season. I didn't accomplish all the goals I set, but I gave it my best effort and that's what matters most to me. I’m feeling fired up to improve for next year!